Nope Opportunities

Regular readers of this blog (of which there surely are only one or two, and quite understandably so given that this blog is total balderdash) will know that I was many years into my professional life before I began making what I considered a healthy salary. To be precise, I was in my mid-30s by then. 

In the intervening years, financial struggle and stress were constant companions. Many were the days that I longed to have enough income to make a break from them. 

This is to say nothing of a six-figure income. That, Dear Reader, seemed like an impossible dream. 

Dream a little dream

But, oh, how I wanted that dream to come true. I envisioned that reaching it would prove a panacea to my money-related insecurities. And maybe even allow me to spend like a baller.  

To my shock and delight, my salary ultimately did break the six-figure ceiling. It stayed there for about five years, dropping only when my self-employment gig essentially became a part-time affair. Between my salary and The Missus’, we were covering our expenses and building wealth at a decent clip for the first time in our lives. 

My salary also provided me with a mental and emotional high that I relished. It might not have been the panacea I’d hoped for. But it felt pretty good. Even when my salary later dropped, I still considered the still-substantial salary mighty nice. Maybe because had I been working full-time hours and/or hustled for more work, I easily would have earned revenues equaling or exceeding my prior salary. My diminished salary was a conscious choice.

When I FIREd at the end of 2021, of course, it all went away. Poof! 

And while the mental and emotional high I was used to necessarily went away, I wasn’t fazed. That’s because my decision was grounded on a sound and solid plan. 

I did, however, have a goal to bring in money in 2022. Not necessarily much. But something. In part from passive income flowing from our investments, and in part from side gigs. I had a stretch goal as to 2022 income, too. But even it was miles from a six-figure sum.

Gggoooaaalll!!!

Something I’ve heard from many (in fact, maybe most) people who’ve FIREd is that they’ve been offered wholly unanticipated money-spinning opportunities after FIREing. In some cases, lucrative ones, too. I didn’t at all bank on any opportunities coming my way. Much less lucrative ones.

But neither did I wholly discount the possibility. 

So, the fact that some appealing opportunities to make money—of varying magnitude, but none necessarily eye-popping in terms of overall 2022 total income—have in fact come my way this year wasn’t a shock. 

What has been a bit of a shock is that I’m going to meet my stretch goal for 2022 income. Very shocking is that I’ll beat it by a good 25%. That’s bringing a smile to my face given the shellacking that 2022 has delivered to our investments. It’s been a good 2022 in terms of my income. 

Surprise package

But I recently got an even bigger surprise, which promised to double my 2022 income. And provide six figures each year after.

That dream I had of so many years ago of making six-figures a year? Yeah, you bet I recalled it in a nanosecond!

And then I declined the offer.

Wait, whaaattt?!

I admit, the opportunity stopped me dead in my tracks. I mean, a lucrative proposition? Of course I have to consider it, no? 

My immediate impulse was to explore it. If for no other reason than I heard the me of 20 years ago screaming at present me, “YOU MORON!!! WHAT . . . ARE . . . YOU . . . DOING!!! TAKE THE OPPORTUNITY YOU DOLT!!! TAKE IT!!!” Hey, 20-years-ago me, I remember you very, very, . . . very well. And I hear ya’. You make a loud point. 

Also, were the opportunity come to fruition, I’d be able to save and invest almost all of the money each year and it alone would likely grow to $1 million in just 5–10 years. It’d put us solidly in fat-FIRE land.

But, still, no.

Strings theory

And the “no” was easy. Because the opportunity wasn’t without strings. It’d have demanded a lot of my time, eaten up my days, and brought stress. I not only don’t want any of that, I like what I’ve already got going.

Between my unexpectedly healthy revenue, and The Missus’ income, we’ll cover most or all of our 2022 expenses without having to tap our investments. Also, while we’re not at fat FIRE now, we might get there soon. In fact, between compounding and continued investing, a pension that The Missus will be eligible for in a few years, Social Security on offer not too many years after that, and potential inheritances we might receive, fat FIRE is more than just a remote possibility.  

And I am very much liking my present schedule and life. I do work that I want to do and that I like. But not for too many hours a week. The volunteering that I’d long wanted to do is now a train in happy motion. Work stress, something I wore like a shroud before FIREing, is mostly just a bleak memory. I also have a lot of flexibility. Because I control how I want to spend my time. I can stop and start as I please. 

And, last, and probably most importantly, I’m not young and I’m not getting any younger. The prospect of throwing whole years into the meat grinder at my age holds no appeal. In fact, it scares me. 

In short, the opportunity just wasn’t worth the trade-offs. 

I can tell you, 20-years-ago me Dear Reader, I never thought I’d say that. But being able to is invaluable.

And in the end . . . 

I’m pretty pleased with how 2022 has gone from a money standpoint. Before I discovered FIRE, I’d have laughed at the mere notion that I could not have a full-time job well before reaching typical retirement age. Much less survive. And much, much less be able to put up my hand at lucrative opportunities.